In 2020, thousands of people and institutions displayed flags in support of the Responsible Business Initiative. The committee is counting on them to bring their new initiative to fruition in just one month (archives).
Photo: KEYSTONE/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT
Switzerland should not be the only country without responsibility for multinationals. A committee presented a new draft initiative in this direction on Tuesday in Bern. He hopes to collect the 100,000 signatures needed in just one month.
The popular initiative ‘For responsible multinationals’ was accepted by 50.7% of voters but refused by the majority of cantons in November 2020. A counter-project, based on ‘reporting’, came into force in 2022. But it ‘remained without effect’, denounced Tuesday the initiative committee, made up of representatives ‘from a broad political spectrum’, the economy and civil society.
Since 2020, countries such as Germany and Norway have legislated in this area and the EU has adopted a directive on due diligence. However, the discussion is not moving forward in Switzerland, regrets the initiative committee.
The new initiative provides binding rules to oblige Swiss multinationals to respect human rights and environmental standards.
/ATS
News-Swiss
